Experimental research design aims to test hypotheses about causal relationships. It involves manipulating an independent variable and observing its effect on a dependent variable under controlled conditions. True experimental designs have three key characteristics - manipulation, control, and randomization. Manipulation means consciously controlling the independent variable. Control involves using a control group to account for extraneous variables. Randomization ensures subjects are randomly assigned to conditions. Common true experimental designs include post-test only, pretest-posttest, Solomon four-group, factorial, randomized block, and crossover designs. While powerful for establishing causation, experimental designs also have limitations for studying humans.

1. EXPERIMENTAL
RESEARCH
DESIGN
DR.MAHESWARI JAIKUMAR

2. CHARACTERISTICS
• Experimental research is defined as
“OBSERVATIONS UNDER
CONTROLLED CONDITIONS”.
• In experimental design the
researcher is active agent rather
than a passive observer.

3. • Experimental designs are concerned with
examination of the effect of an
independent variable on dependent
variable, where the independent variable is
manipulated through treatment or
intervention(s).
• True experimental designs consists of three
cardinal feature: RANDOMIZATION,
CONTROL & MANIPULATION or TRIAL.

4. • According to Riely, experimental design
is a powerful design for testing
hypotheses of causal relationship
among variables.
• Experimental research design is further
classified as TRUE EXPERIMENTAL
DESIGN, QUASI EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
& PRE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

5. TRUE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS
• In true experimental designs the
researchers have complete control over
the extraneous variables and can predict
confidently that the observed effect on
the dependent variable is only due to
the manipulation of independent
variable.

6. ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS
A true experimental design consists
of three important characteristics.
They are as follows:
1. MANIPULATION.
2. CONTROL.
3. RANDOMIZATION.

7. MANIPULATION
• Manipulation refers to conscious control
of the independent variable by the
researcher through treatment or
intervention to observe it’s effect on the
dependent variable.
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE MEDICATION
DEPENDENT VARIABLE PAIN LEVEL

8. CONTROL
• Control refers to the use of control group
and controlling the effects of extraneous
variables on the dependent variable in
which the researcher is interested.
• The subjects in the control and
experimental groups are similar in number
& characteristics, but the subjects in the
control group do not receive experimental
treatment or any intervention.

9. • A comparison of the experimental
group is made with the control group
to observe the effect of the treatment
or intervention.
• The control of effects of extraneous
variables on the dependent variable
can be ensured by adopting one of the
following measures : Matching,
counterbalancing, Homogeneity by
statistical test.

10. MATCHING
• Is a conscious “matching" of the subject
characteristics in both the groups.
• It is a weak but a common method of
control over the extraneous variables.
• In matching the researcher identifies one or
more extraneous variables to be controlled
which are supposed to have effect on
dependent variable.

11. • As the subjects are recruited for one of the
treatment groups, the researcher tries to find
subjects for the other group (similar to the
subjects of the first group based on the
specific matching variable).
• For example if age and gender are the
matching variables of interest in a two group
study (if 40 yrs old man is recruited for the
first group, the researcher would try to find
another man aged 40 yrs for the second
group)

12. COUNTER BALANCING
• Counter balancing is another way to
exert control over extraneous variables.
• Counter balancing is used in which the
researcher is concerned that the orders
in which the treatment or interventions
are administered influence the study
results.

13. HOMOGENEITY BY STATISTICAL
TEST
• To ensure homogeneity of the
demographic characteristics among
two groups under study, a chi-
square test may be applied on the
frequency distribution of selected
characteristics in two groups.

14. RANDOMIZATION
• Means that every subject has an equal
chance of being assigned to experimental
or control group.
• This is called random assignment of
subjects.
• The process involves random assignment
to different groups

15. • Through random assignment chances
of systemic bias is eliminated.
• Randomization is used in true
experimental designs to minimize the
threats of internal validity of the study
and eliminates the effects of
extraneous variables on the dependent
variables.

16. METHODS OF
RANDOMIZATION
• Random assignment of study subjects
may be done with simple flip of a coin
for each subject. If coin lands on its
“head”, subjects are assigned to first
group & with “tail” the subjects are
assigned to the second group.

17. • Another methods is to write the names
of the subjects on slips of paper and put
the slips into a bowl and then drew lots.
The first designated numbers of subjects
are placed in one group and the rest are
assigned under another group.

18. • A random table may be used to facilitate
the randomization process. In this
method blindfolds the subjects to chose
a number from a table of numbers
horizontally (row) or vertically (column),
till a requisite number is reached for
both the experimental & control group.
• Computer assisted random sequences
also may be used for the random
assignment of the subjects.

19. SYMBOLIC PRESENTATION OF
RANDOM NUMBERS
52 35 89 71 43
15 25 00 20
85 76 92 46 35
81 67 32 65
06 42 48 47 43
65 95 10 56
82 64 12 42 27
59 32 09 37
32 65 75 62 73
96 58 34
69 34 80 76 71
92 75 38 88
05 95 66 79 46
01 17 74 62
06 53 57 26 08
72 39 41
87 83 84 64 72
62 19 38 45
45 19 75 72 05
65 39 21 56
31 08 43 49 29
35 45 43 07
03 97 92 46 53
27 08 54 82

20. EXAMPLE OF RANDOMIZATION
PROCEDURE
NAME NUMBER GROUP
RAMU 1 I
BABU 2 II
SOMU 3 II
SIMBU 4 II
ACHU 5 I
BUJJU 6 II
KICHU 7 I
SACHU 8 I

21. TYPES OF TRUE EXPERIMENTAL
DESIGNS
1. POST TEST ONLY DESIGN.
2. PRETEST-POST-TEST-ONLY DESIGN.
3. SOLOMOM FOUR GROUP DESIGN.
4. FACTORIAL DESIGN.
5. RANDOMIZED BLOCK DESIGN.
6. CROSS OVER DESIGN.

22. POST TEST ONLY CONTROL DESIGN
• Is composed of two randomly assigned
group - experimental & control groups.
• Both the groups are not tested previous to
the introduction of an intervention.
• While treatment is implemented on the
experimental group only, post test
observations are made on both the groups.

23. • This design is helpful in situations where
it is not possible to pre teat the
subjects.
• E.g., A study on educational
intervention related to contraception
among couples.

24. POST TEST ONLY CONTROL DESIGN
RANDOM
ASSIGNMENT
EXP GROUP
CONTROL
GRP
TREATMENT POST TEST
POST TEST

25. PRETEST-POST-TEST-ONLY DEIGN
• In this design, subjects are randomly
assigned to either the experimental
or control group.
• The effect of the dependent variable
on both the groups is seen before
the treatment (pre test).

26. • Following this the treatment is
carried out on experimental group
only.
• After treatment observation of
dependent variable is made on both
the groups to examine the effect of
the manipulation of independent
variable on dependent variable.

27. PRETEST –POST TEST ONLY DESIGN
RANDOM
ASSIGNMENT
EXP GROUP
CONTROL
GRP
TREATMENT
POST TEST
POST TEST
PRE
TEST
PRE
TEST

28. SOLOMON FOUR GROUP DESIGN
• There are two experimental and
two control group.(control group - I
& II) (Exp group- I &II).
• Initially the researcher randomly
assigns subjects to the four groups.

29. • Out of four groups, only exp grp I & control
grp I receives the pre test followed by the
treatment to the experimental grp I & II.
• Finally all the four groups receive post test,
where the effects of the dependent
variables of the study are observed and
comparison is made of the four groups to
assess the effect of independent variable
(experimental variable) on the dependent
variable.

30. • The experimental group II is
observed at one occasion.
• To estimate the amount of change in
experimental & control group II the
average test scores of experimental
& control groups I are used as
baseline.

31. • The solomon four group design is
considered to be most prestigious
experimental research design, because it
minimizes the threat to internal and
external validity.
• The test effectively presents the reactive
effects of the pre test.
• Any difference between the experimental
and control group can be more confidently
attributed to the experimental treatment.

32. • The disadvantage of this design is that it
requires a large sample and statistical
analysis, and therefore not commonly
used in health care researches.

33. SOLOMON FOUR GROUP DESIGN
RANDOM
ASSIGNMENT
Exp grp I
Exp grp II
Cont grp I
Cont grp II
Pre test
Pre test
Treatment
Treatment
Post
test
Post
test
Post
test
Post
test

34. FACTORIAL DESIGN
• Here the researcher manipulates
two or more independent variables
simultaneously to observe their
effects on the dependent variables.
• This design is particularly useful
when there are more than two
independent variables to be tested.

35. • E.g., researcher wants to test the
efficacy of two different medication.
• The design facilitates the testing of
several hypotheses at a single time.
• Typically factorial design incorporates
2x2 or 2x3 factorial. (it can be any
combination)

36. • The first number (alpha - A) refers to the
independent variables or the types of
experimental treatments and the
second number (beta -B) refers to the
level or frequency of the treatment.

37. FACTORIAL DESIGN
FREQUENCY OF
TREATMENT
PROTOCOLS OF
TREATMENT
PROTOCOLS OF
TREATMENT
ALPHA (I)
(DRUG I)
BETA (II)
(DRUG II)
4 hourly (B1) A1 B1 A2 B1
6 hourly (B2) A1 B2 A2 B2
8 hourly (B3) A1 B3 A2 B3

38. RANDOMIZED BLOCK DESIGN
• Randomized block design is used when
the researcher desires to bring
homogeneity among selected groups.
• This is a simple method to reduce the
variability among the treatment groups
by a more homogenous combination of
the subjects through randomized block
design.

39. • For example if the researcher wants to test
the efficacy of three different medications
in reducing hypertension, to ensure
homogeneity among subjects under
treatment, researcher randomly places the
subjects in homogenous groups (blocks).
• like patients with hypertension, diabetic
patients with hypertension and
hypertensive patients with heart diseases.

40. The design looks similar to that of
factorial design in structure, but out
of two factors one factor is not
experimentally manipulated.

41. RANDOMIZED BLOCK DESIGN
TYPE OF
HYPERTENSIVE
DRUG
BLOCKS BLOCKS BLOCKS
PATIENT WITH
HYPERTENSION
(I)
DIABETIC
PATIENT WITH
HYPERTENSION
(II)
PATIENT WITH
HEART DISEASE
AND
HYPERTENSION
(III)
A A,1 A, I A, III
B B,1 B, I B, II
C C,1 C, I C, III

42. CROSS OVER DESIGN
• In cross over design the study
subjects are exposed to more than
one treatment.
• It is also known as “repeat measure
design”.

43. • This design is more efficient in establishing
the highest possible similarity among
subjects exposed to different conditions
where groups compared obviously have
equal distribution of characteristics.
• Some times this design is not effective
because, when subjects are exposed to two
different conditions, their responses of the
second condition may be influenced by
their experience in the first condition.

44. CROSS OVER DESIGN
GROUPS TREATMENT
PROTOCOL
TREATMENT
PROTOCOL
GROUP I TREATMENT I TREATMENT II
GROUP II TREATMENT II TREATMENT I

45. ADVANTAGES OF TRUE
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
• Most powerful design to establish the
causal relationship between
independent and dependent variable.
• Since the study is conducted under
controlled environment, it can yield a
greater degree of purity in observation.

46. • Conditions that are not found in natural
setting can be created in experimental
setting in a short period of time that may
take years to naturally occur (therefore
very useful in genetic studies).
• Because the experiment is carried out in
experimental setting the problems of
real life situations and the personal
problems of the researcher is eliminated.

47. DISADVANTAGES OF TRUE
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
• Most often the results of experimental
designs cannot be replicated in studies
conducted on humans due to ethical
problems.
• Many of the human variables neither
have valid measurable criteria nor
instruments to measure them.

48. • In experimental studies conducted in
natural settings like a hospital or
community, it is not possible to impose
control over extraneous variables.
• Experiments are often more impractical
when the effect of independent variable
may require a lengthy period of time
before it can emerge as a response on
the criterion measures.

49. • It is very difficult to obtain permission from the
participants.
• Because the size of the sample is kept small
especially studies involving humans, the
representativeness of the findings of such study
is questionable.
• Though theoretically experimental designs can
yields a greater insights , yet practically many a
times they are not possible in human studies as
humans & their parameters are complex.

50. THANK YOU